


on a walk

by mozaikmage



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Dogs, M/M, Meet-Cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-16
Updated: 2020-04-16
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:34:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23686246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mozaikmage/pseuds/mozaikmage
Summary: Akaashi meets someone while walking his dog.
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou
Comments: 14
Kudos: 73
Collections: HQ!! Writers Fic Exchange





	on a walk

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kenmagoesblep](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kenmagoesblep/gifts).



> kimmi I love you so much and I know you like a) dogs and b) bokuaka so here is some of that. for you. because you're one of my favorite ppl in this fandom and you deserve nice things. like bokuto with a dog

It was a fine spring day on the riverbank, and Akaashi Keiji was walking his dog. 

The tiny dachshund ran to keep pace with his owner’s brisk steps along the waterline. It was a weekend, but early enough in the morning that the only people crossing their path were fitness-obsessed runners and the occasional other dog walkers. 

Mr. Donut, being a small yet feisty creature, tended to avoid greeting bigger dogs as a rule. So when some guy came running towards them with a huge white fluffy thing on a leash, Akaashi expected his Mr. Donut to lead him off the path onto the safety of the grass until the Big Dog had passed.

Instead, the dachshund stopped, wagged his tail at the speed of sound, and came right up to the fluffy dog’s nose, sniffing intensely and yapping about it.

“Good morning!” the Big Dog’s owner exclaimed, looking down at the dogs, and then back up at Akaashi. “Oh, you look like a cool dude. What’s your dog’s name?”

The white dog’s owner was taller than Akaashi, which didn’t happen very often. He was also broader than Akaashi, which checked at least half of the boxes of Akaashi’s usual Type. His hair stood straight up out of his head in a bizarre half-white half-grey combination, and his large, friendly smile radiated confidence. Akaashi realized, a bit belatedly, that this confident tall person had called him a cool dude.

“Akaashi,” Akaashi said without thinking. Mr. Donut stopped licking the fluffy white dog long enough to yap at his owner in disapproval, or disappointment.

The attractive man blinked. “Kind of a weird name for a dog, but okay! This is Snowball!”

“Akaashi’s my name,” Akaashi clarified, thinking that perhaps someday he will get over the shame. “The dog’s name is Mr. Donut.”

“My name’s Bokuto,” the other man offered, and then gazed thoughtfully at the long, thin shape of Mr. Donut running laps around Snowball. “Why’d you name him Mr. Donut?”

“He likes donuts. Glazed, especially. How old is Snowball?”

“Four! I got her when I moved to a new place that was more pet-friendly. She’s the best!”

The rest of the conversation flowed naturally from there. Akaashi learned that Bokuto worked as a personal trainer, that his grandma had a dog just like Snowball when he was a kid, and that he came to the park by the river every weekend to play with fetch with his dog. “There’s a really nice dog park in Yoyogi, but it’s more of a hassle to get to, so we don’t go there as often.”

It was charming how much Bokuto cared for his pet, Akaashi decided. “Mr. Donut isn’t usually this friendly to bigger dogs, but he seems to like Snowball,” he said instead, watching the two dogs run and yap at each other.

“Of course he likes Snowball, Snowball’s the best dog in the world!” Bokuto declared. 

His unshakeable belief in this was admirable, even though it was clear to Akaashi that the real best dog in the world was Mr. Donut. Akaashi hummed, not agreeing or disagreeing. 

They observed the dogs chase each other around the park, barking all the while.

“My friends say I’m like a giant puppy myself sometimes,” Bokuto said out of nowhere.

Akaashi raised a single eyebrow. 

“They do! But since I got Snowball I realized that like. Actual dogs. Are a lot more work than people who act kind of like dogs.”

“Who would have thought.”

“What made you decide to get a dog, Akaashi?” Bokuto had dropped the honorific after about a minute of conversation, and Akaashi was surprised at how little he minded.

“My friend’s dog had puppies, and he convinced me to take one in. Mr. Donut was the calmest in the litter.”

Bokuto nodded in a pretense of wisdom. “Does he bark when you leave without him? Snowball used to do that.”

“Not so much anymore,” Akaashi said. “He’s well trained.”

Akaashi glanced at his watch; his morning walk has already stretched far beyond the time he’d planned to spend outside. The sun was climbing higher in the sky, and families with children were joining the runners and dogwalkers outside. Not ideal. “We have to get going, but would you like to meet us at the dog park tomorrow, Bokuto-san?” Akaashi asked.

“Oh! Sure! That sounds like fun! Can I — what’s your phone number?”

They exchanged phone numbers and set a time to meet. Mr. Donut was reluctant to part from his new friend, digging in his heels and whining as Akaashi tried to pull him back in the direction of their apartment. 

Bokuto waved with his whole arm, Snowball’s leash in his other hand. Behind him, the sun kept rising.

Akaashi spent his Saturday doing what he usually did on Saturdays, which was try to avoid working from home before something pulled him in against his will. He walked Mr. Donut twice more, but did not cross paths with Snowball or her owner along the way. He told himself he wasn’t disappointed about it.

Bokuto and Snowball showed up at the dog park ten minutes late. Mr. Donut did not mind, as he was having a great time running around and barking at the dozens of dogs and their owners already at the park. Akaashi, who had arrived with Mr. Donut half an hour early out of his usual anxiety, did mind a bit. On the bright side, he’d had time to stop at the Lawson’s on the corner and buy snacks to share.

Bokuto was wearing a hoodie with the sleeves cut off, revealing his muscular arms. Akaashi appreciated this.

“Good morning,” said Akaashi.

“Hey hey hey! How’s it going?”

“It’s going well. I brought something for you,” Akaashi said, and pulled two convenience-store onigiri out of his pocket. “I don’t know if you’re hungry, but. If you are. One’s tuna and one’s umeboshi. Please take them.” He bowed.

Bokuto gasped. “Wow, really? For me? That’s so thoughtful! Thank you, Akaashi!”

He ate each onigiri in approximately four seconds and two bites, which Akaashi would not admit to being impressed by. “That reminds me,” said Bokuto, between chews. “I brought something for Mr. Donut!” Bokuto stuffed the plastic wrap from his onigiri into the front pocket of his hoodie and pulled out two large bone-shaped dog treats. Every dog within smelling distance circled him immediately, barking with anticipation.

Bokuto held the treats over his head and climbed onto a bench while a dozen dogs did their best to commit robbery, their owners attempting to restrain them. “Nope nope nope, these treats are reserved!” 

Snowball sat patiently on the ground next to her owner, waiting for the fuss to die down. Mr. Donut bravely tried to jump on the bench, but was foiled by his stubby little dachshund legs.

Akaashi pulled a treat out of Bokuto’s hand. “Mr. Donut, sit. Good boy.” The other dogs lunged at the dachshund as he received his reward, but Snowball barked at them all to keep them away. The other dog owners finally retrieved their pets, apologizing profusely for the trouble.

“Awww, she’s protecting her new friend! That’s adorable,” Bokuto said. He fed Snowball the other treat he brought.

“Indeed.” Akaashi nodded. He decided it was a safe moment to attempt a joke. “Perhaps Snowball and Mr. Donut have fallen for each other.”

“That would be the cutest thing ever!” Bokuto declared. “Hey, Akaashi, do you believe in love at first sight? Or second sight, I guess, since we met yesterday!”

Akaashi slanted a glance at Bokuto, and allowed himself a small, teasing smile. “I could be convinced.” 

Bokuto blinked, caught off guard by the sudden boldness. 

Akaashi cleared his throat and looked away.

Akaashi thought about his next sentence for some time, long enough for Snowball to finish her treat and start sniffing curiously at Mr. Donut’s. Mr. Donut’s fondness for the other dog did not extend to letting her steal his treat. 

“Bokuto-san,” Akaashi said finally. “Would you like to get lunch with me and Mr. Donut?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah, sure! Like, now?” Bokuto pulled Snowball’s leash out of the pocket of his hoodie and whistled to get her attention.

“If you’re free. There’s a cafe nearby that allows pets.” Mr. Donut did not respond to whistles for attention because he had more important things to do, so Akaashi picked him up with one arm and attached his leash with the other.

“Sure, yeah, sounds great!” Bokuto looped Snowball’s leash around one hand and held the other out to Akaashi. “Lead the way!”

And they went.

**Author's Note:**

> also thank u to relle and jamie for looking this over and telling me it is not the worst thing ever <>


End file.
